Thrombin is a proteolytic enzyme which is essential for mammalian hemostasis. Thrombin catalyzes the conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin which leads to the formation of blood clots. Thrombin exists in the blood of mammals in the form of prothrombin under normal conditions and when bleeding begins the prothrombin is converted to thrombin which in turn activates the formation of fibrin and consequent blood clots. It is known to initiate hemostasis during surgical procedures by adding an external source of thrombin as a clotting agent to control bleeding at a hemorrhaging site.
Thrombin is generally commercially available in two forms, i.e. dry powder or an aqueous saline solution. In a dry powder form, thrombin particles may be tapped from a container containing the dry powder onto a hemorrhaging site. The dry thrombin is not easily handled and applied during surgery because it is difficult to quickly measure out the desired amount when a hemorrhaging site is discovered. Thrombin used in aqueous saline solutions have the disadvantage of diminishing the potency of the thrombin by dilution. Further, aqueous thrombin solutions are not stable due to the denaturation and autolysis of the thrombin protein in solution. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a hemostatically effective, convenient, and storage stable form of thrombin ideally suited for surgical use.